Recent content by flytrap59

I've come across this question before and there does not seem to be conclusive evidence that heliamphora produces stolons. What you might be seeing is new growth coming from a previously dormant area on the rhizome.

I agree with Av8tor1. While watering via capillary action makes for a nice way to take care of your plants when you're on a vacation, occasional top water definitely improves soil aeration, while flushing away any bacterial build-up. I've been growing mine successfully with top watering alone...

Hi SirKristoff, As long as you flush the pots with water regularly and leave no standing water in the trays the plants do fine. The perlite also helps prevent rot by increasing aeration. In addition, spores in the LFS eventually germinate producing live moss. But I do hear you loud and clear. If...

Stronger lighting The pitchers indicate a problem with insufficient lighting. The nectar spoons are underdeveloped and there is virtually no red coloration. Can you move the pots closer to the lights (4-6 inches away)? In addition, your soil mixture may be too dense. I've had good success with...

Attention burmani lovers. I have a beautiful potted plant thats in flower right now. My growing area is getting crowded and I need to make some space. I would be willing to trade or sell this plant to an experienced grower who would give it a "good home".  If you live in the midwest (in or near...

I can't help you either. I only have two very nice mature purpurea ssp.purpurea. This northern ssp. grows much slower than its southern couterpart venosa. Just to give you an idea of the difference; my two ssp.purpurea have only sprouted 4 new pitchers each so far this growing season. My venosa...

Hey Bugweed! Yech! I think you're Jumping the gun on your harsh judgment. I'm looking at it as thousands of children being educated about the curiosity and beauty of these magnificant plants. I've been a requested speaker on the subject at many area schools for years. And as for "VFTs for...

Hey Jim, That would be a retail business at first.

Hi Jim! I've been super busy this past spring. Our CBS affiliate in SW Michigan did a 3 minute news piece on my CP hobby in May. I've been scheduled to speak 6 times at a Botanical Gardens throughout the upcoming summer & fall. I also finally purchased a good digital camera and started taking...

Recently our local Wal-Mart in SW Michigan received a new shipment of beautiful VFTs. Instead of being stuck inside a closed dome they've been packaged inside a tall flexible plastic cylinder which has a few holes pocked into the top. They're still potted in the usual 3" pot. Virtually every...

I took a real chance this winter and left all of my pitchers outside on my open front porch. The pots are inside a standing greenhouse so they don't receive any direct wind chill. However, we've had temps in the single digits on and off for the past two weeks. I've insulated the pots inside deep...

Matt, You've brought up a good point; most temperate plants still receive full sun in their natural habitats during the winter.  The difference between them and our "pet" CPs is found in their growing mediums. The ground disperses and reflects radiant heat from the sun. On the other hand, the...

The tubs are 11" deep. I thoroughly dampen the LFS which retains the moisture for quite a long time. A couple of times throughout the winter months I'll spray mist the plants and moss if it looks like they're beginning to get dry. The tubs don't have any drainage holes. If I were burrying them...

Hi Matthew, I live a few miles north of you in SW Michigan. Does your garage have any windows? If so, I wouldn't worry about setting up grow lights. Like some of the others have said, I too keep my temperate CPs outdoors throughout the winter. I have purps, leucos, rubras, Hyndle, Danas and...

Hi Patrick, I can't answer your question about winter storage for drosera tropical seeds since I've never attempted it. However, I have grown "zillions" of them at various times of the year. For instance, last november I carelessly placed a cut capensis stalk on top of an open terrarium of...